In this book, Gary Keller has identified that behind every successful person is their ONE Thing. No matter how success is measured, personal or professional, only the ability to dismiss distractions and concentrate on your ONE Thing stands between you and your goals. The ONE Thing is about getting extraordinary results in every situation.

 

The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth behind Extraordinary Results is a book on productivity and personal effectiveness. It’s about going small, and becoming laser-focused on what truly matters.

 

The One Thing applies to success in all aspects of business and life:

• One Product/ Service: Companies that are extraordinarily successful always have one signature product or service e.g. KFC’s secret chicken recipe, Google’s search.

• One Person: No one is self-made. Every successful person (e.g. Walt Disney, Albert Einstein, Oprah Winfrey) has that one person who made all the difference, be it guiding him/her in the right direction or lending a helping hand at a pivotal point.

• One Passion/ Skill: Extraordinarily successful people have one intense passion or ability that stands out, defines and drives them.

 

According to Keller, there are six lies of success that need to be banished before we can embrace success.  Here’s a quick overview: 

• 20:80 Rule: The Myth: Everything Matters Equally. The Truth: 20% of your efforts generate 80% of your results (Pareto Principle). So What: Find and focus on your ONE Thing.

• Single-Tasking: The Myth: Multitasking gets more done. The Truth: Multitasking leads to more mistakes, poorer choices, and greater stress. So What: Give our most important work our undivided attention. 

• Habits: The Myth: We must live a Disciplined Life. The Truth: We just need to form the right habits. So What: Don’t be a disciplined person. Be a person of powerful habits.

• Willpower: The Myth: It’s summoned when needed. The Truth: It gets depleted with use. So What: Use your willpower wisely. Deepen your understanding of these concepts with this easy-to-read book.

• Balanced Life: The Myth: We should live a Balanced Life. The Truth: A balanced life equals compromise on all fronts. So What: Apply counterbalance.

• Think Big: The Myth: Big is bad (i.e. complex, difficult). The Truth: Big thinking drives big action and results. So What: Push your limits.

 

The quality of our questions determines the quality of the answers. By asking the Focusing Question, you drive yourself to make the best possible decisions. You’ll need to ask this question over and over again– it will lead to your first domino, then the next, and the next. 

 

Keller explains how to apply this question in all areas of your life, including:

• How to define The Big Picture (your purpose and “big why”) and The Small Focus (or your immediate next step)

• How to create the greatest impact in all important areas of your life (including relationships, health, career, finances etc.)

• How to use it to find great answers. 

 

Live with Purpose, to get Extraordinary Results

Productivityand profits in business are driven by two areas:

• Your Big ONE Thing = your purpose

• Your Small ONE Thing = your priority (that you take action on)

 

With your goals aligned, you are now ready to take concrete action.  The book zooms in on three key areas (with practical, detailed, effective steps that you can take right away) to improve your personal productivity. 

• Use Time Blocking, to ensure what has to get done actually gets done.

• Make the three Key Commitments: Mastery, Productivity, Accountability, which are essential to your success.

• Manage the four Thieves of Productivity: Inability to Say “No”, Fear of Chaos, Poor Health Habits and Environment Doesn’t Support Your Goals, so they can’t hijack your results.